Philosophy and religion

Teaching clinical ethics as a professional skill: bridging the gap between knowledge about ethics and its use in clinical practice

Article Abstract:

A three session seminar program at the University of Newcastle, Australia was organized to provide medical students with a methodological approach of teaching medical ethics as professional skill so that they can apply such knowledge while making clinical decisions leading to enhanced patient care. The program indicates that clinical seminars enhance the ethical skills of the students but it is difficult to bring these skills into practice. The case of Baby H is discussed.

Values education: a new direction for medical education

Article Abstract:

New methods must be evolved to improve values education in medical studies and resources should be channelized in this direction. The use of a values journal, which is based on students' personal life experiences and their decisions is suggested. Such a method not only enhances students' capability to make decisions, but also provides the needed guidance so that they can encourage patients to develop their own value systems.

'These sorts of people don't do very well': race and allocation of health care resources

Article Abstract:

The case of a 53-year-old Australian Aboriginal woman afflicted with pulmonary edema and end-stage renal disease is presented to illustrate how race discrimination affects health care delivery in Australia. Based on the case above and other studies, it is speculated that utilitarian outcome criteria used to identify beneficiaries of health resources contain inherent discrimination based on race, gender and class.